Soap and detergent dispenser for washing machines



Patented Sept. 29 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOAP AND DETERGENT DISPENSER FOR WASHING MACHINES William J. Frank, Rochester, N. Y. Applcation April 29, 1950, Serial No. 159,093

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to dispensers and more particularly to dispensers for use on automatic dishwashers, clothes washing machines and similar machines for dispensing the soap 01 detergents required in such machines.

It is not practical to put a liquid soap or liquid deter ent in a dish-washing or clothes-washing machine before the water is turned on because the liquid soap or detergent might get into the bea1ings of the machine to the detriment of the bearings as well as being partially wasted. It is not practical either to turn the water on and then put the liquid soap or detergent in the machine because the water comes into the ma.- chine with such force that the machine has to be closed, before the water is turned on; otherwise the hot water will splash over the housewife or all over the fioor. It is usual, therefore, to sprinkle powdered soap into the machine before turning on the water. Powdered soap dissolves slowly, however, and undissolved particles of powdered soap may cling to dishes or glasses in a dishwasher and to clothes in a clotheswasher. Liquid soap or liquiol detergent dissolves almost instantly in water thereby assuring more eficient washing.

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a dispenser which will make possible the practical use of liquid soaps and liquicl detergents in washing machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container for use in an automatic washing machine for holding liquid soap or a detergent and, in which the soap or detergent may be placed before the machine is put into operation, and from which the soap or detergent will automatica1ly be dispensed by the machine in its operatien.

other obiects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the conventonal wire tray or basket of a conventional dish washing machine with my soap or detergent dispenser mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a seotion on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of my dispenser;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof.

Referring now to the drawing by numerals of reference, l0 denotes a conventional wire tray such as is used in a conventional dish washing 2 machine for holding cups, glasses, and dishes that are to be washed. This tray includes a plurality of concentric wire rings II.

The dispenser of this invention comprises a cup or pan l2 which may be made of sheet metal, plastic, or any other suitable material and which is open at its top. This pan has two arms i3 projecting from opposite sides of it that have downturned portions Ii at their ree ends. The arms l3 are ofifset from a centra1 axial plane of the cup parallel to the arms. The pan is adapted to be suspended from the glass-receiving tray l@ by the arms l3 which engage over the top of one of the rings U of the tray. The arms 13 are offset to one side of the central plane of the pan l2 so that the pan tends to tip to the oppcsite side. I-Iowever, a weight I5, which is fastenecl to 01 integral with the pan on the same side of the central plane as the arms l3, serves to maintain the pan horizontal when it is filled with the liquid soap or detergent and suspended on the tray 10.

In use, the pan I2 with the soap or detergent therein, is placed in the washing machine on the tray l0. After the washing machine is loaded with dishes, and closed, and put into operation, the water gushing into the machine will splash into the pan I 2; and the weight of the water will overcome the weight I 5 and tip the cup l2, dumping the detergent into the swirling water. Thus, the soap or detergent will be mixed thoroughly with the water after the water starts to flow. The bearings of the machine will be protected; and soap or detergent will not be wasted.

While the dispensing pan or cup 12 is shown as provded with a balancing weight I5, it is obvious that other balancing means might be employed such as mercury or water in a tube, a counterbalancing spring, etc.

While the invention has been descrihed, moreover, in connection with use on a dish washing machine, it will be obvious that a pan or cup I2, identcal with or similar to that shown, aan in similar manner be suspended in a clothes washing machine or any other machine in which the water is swirled about, and that in such a machine the water will be tossed into the pan or cup so as to cverbalance the cup and cause the soap or detergent to be dumped into the water automatically after the machine is in operation. The pan or cup furthermore is portable and can be made to fit any make of machine.

While the invention has been described in connection with a particular embodiment thereof and a particular use therefor, then, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification and use, and this applicaton is intended to cover any adaptations, uses, or modifications of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disciosure as come wthin known 0r customary practice in the art to which the i vention pertains and as may be applied to the essentiai features hereinbeore set orth and as fa1l withinthe scope of the invention or the 1imits of the appended claims.

Havng thus described my nvention, what I claim is:

1. In a washing machine, in combirraijon 9. ringlike support provided with an opening, an open cup-shaped dispenser or dispensing-soap or detergents having two aligned arr ns o ff set from a oentra1 plane of the dispenser, said -arms supported by sad ring and pivoting thereon, ;a nd locating said dispenser in sad opening, and means o1 counterbaiancing the dispenser being constructed to be oyeroome w hen water romjhe washing machine spiashes,jnto said dispenser.

2. In a washing machine, in combination, a

.;penser;beingmonstruoted tobe overcome when water from the washingmachine splashes into sad dispenser.

WILLIAMJ. FRANK.

"Jzejerenees Gited in the fl1e of this patent UNITED STA'I'ES PATEN'I'S Number Name Date 1.1.125,176 Reynolds Jan. 19, 1915 1152,178 Hllyard Aug. 31, 1915 1;364,003 Smith Dec. 28, 1920 2,174,729 Schlack Oct. 3, 1939 2,'181, 661 Lowry Nov. 28, 1939 2292854 Wi1cox Aug. 11, 1942 -2,339,396 Harvey Jan. 18, 1944 

